The invention concerns a pressing device for a machine tool for machining workpieces of wood, plastics and the like; with at least one pressing element that is fastened to at least one support, as well as a machine tool, in particular a moulding machine, with at least one pressing device.
Pressing devices are employed in machine tools, in particular in moulding machines, in order to load the workpieces against the transport path during machining by appropriate tools of the machine so that an exact machining of the workpieces is possible. In a moulding machine, the pressing device is arranged in the area of a horizontal top spindle that is located at a spacing above the transport path for the workpieces and on which a tool is seated with which the top side of the workpiece is machined as it passes through the moulding machine. The pressing element must be adjusted to the diameter of the cutting circle of the respectively employed tool. For this purpose, it is required that the pressing element together with the top spindle is moved into an upper position so that a fastening screw at the bottom side of the pressing element can be loosened in order to be able to adjust the pressing element relative to its support. This is possible only in catch steps because the pressing element and the support are provided with a corresponding toothing provided for form fit so that the pressing element cannot be pushed into the tool in operation of the machine tool. Since the fastening screw is not easily accessible and the spacing to the tool cutting circle can be adjusted only in the predetermined catch steps, an optimal adjustment of the pressing element is not possible.
The invention has the object to design the pressing device of the aforementioned kind and the machine tool of the aforementioned kind such that the pressing element can be adjusted in a simple way very precisely to the desired position.